Shenton out of series

Wednesday 27 October 2010 06:41 BST

Michael Shenton

Centre Michael Shenton's Four Nations series is over after he was ruled out of England's remaining matches with ankle ligament damage.

The 24-year-old Shenton, who will play for St Helens in 2011 after completing a move from home-town side Castleford, sustained the injury in England's opening 24-10 defeat by New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday.

He will stay on to watch England's next match, Sunday's must-win clash with Australia in Melbourne, before flying home to complete his recovery.

"It's completely ruptured so the series is over for me," he said.

"It's pretty upsetting from a personal point of view but it gives an opportunity to someone else in the team. That's why you take a 24-man squad.

"I'm definitely going to support the boys on Sunday. I think the guys are really ready for it. Everybody has gelled really well on tour."

Shenton, who won his ninth cap against the Kiwis, picked up the injury in the closing stages of the first half at the Westpac Stadium but stayed on and produced the break that led to England's second try during their second-half fightback.

"I wasn't thinking about the injury," he said. "I had a million other things on my mind.

"There was a fair bit of pain but it could have been worse. I ripped off the full ankle strap, which probably cushioned the blow, and the fact that I played on was a good sign."

Shenton is the second England player to have his Four Nations campaign curtailed by injury after captain Adrian Morley flew home a week ago to have surgery on a ruptured bicep after being hurt in England's warm-up match against New Zealand Maori.